Enchanted
by alexiaroosenhaan
Summary: Prince Wesley is less than ready for his selection, and when a mysterious stranger shows up at the palace, claiming to have vital information, he questions the stability of his country even more. With unrest brewing and no one to trust, can Wesley survive his selection or will he fall with his country? SYOC open 3/20
1. Ch1 - Once Upon a Time

_**Enchanted Ch1 - Once Upon a Time  
**_

This is my second selection fanfic, and just in case it's not obvious, it's an syoc. I have more details at the bottom. hope y'all like it! **  
**

* * *

 **Finley West**

A high pitched siren sounded through the house, disrupting the peaceful atmosphere.

"Fire! There's a fire!" Kallista, my youngest sister, barged out of her room with a mop of tangled brown hair, a pink bathrobe, and a bewildered expression on her face.

"Get outside! Finley, hurry!" Her voice broke as she yelled at the top of her lungs. I tried to hold myself back, but I couldn't resist a small giggle. "Finley, this isn't funny!" Her high pitched scream only resulted in a barricade of giggles coming from me, and but Kallista was absolutely hysterical.

"Finley, what is wrong with you? This isn't funny!" She was half yelling and half crying now, desperately trying to pull me from the couch where I was laughing.

"Kalli- it's just- Lila- in the kitchen," I managed to get out between breaths.

I knew I shouldn't be laughing, but I was already emotionally unstable, and seeing her hysterical face sent me over the edge.

It took a moment, but Kalli visibly relaxed when she comprehended what I meant. Lila was cooking again. This wouldn't be the first time she had almost burned down the kitchen, and it almost certainly wasn't the last.

In a split second, Kalli's relief turned to anger, and she spun around and glared at me.

"You could have told me earlier! Instead, you thought it would be funny to laugh at me while I thought that the house was on fire!" She pointed a finger at me accusingly, her voice hoarse from screaming.

"I apologize for making you upset," I mumbled softly, more out of habit than actually being sorry.

"Well I'm telling mom and dad," she sniffed, turning away.

I felt my face drain of blood and in less than a second, I was off the couch and standing in front of her, probably looking terrified and panicked at the same time.

"No Kalli, please don't... I'm truly sorry, I apologize for making you upset, I apologize, I apologize," I was breathing quickly, desperately trying to block her way to the kitchen. "Kalli, please... you know how much trouble I'll get in... they'll ground me for weeks!" I was sweating and almost in tears as I threw myself against the door frame to stop her.

Kalli seemed to consider me, and eventually, her lips quirked up into a triumphant smirk.

"Alright. But next time you aggravate me, you won't be so lucky." She spun away with a flip of her hair, seemingly forgetting that it was still a tangled mess from just waking up.

I wilted in relief, collapsing in the sofa next to me. That had been a close call.

I was held to an incredibly high standard by my parents, and one small move would result in me being locked in my room with no human interaction whatsoever for several weeks at the least, and with nothing to do but schoolwork.

Kalli and Lila didn't have quite so much pressure, but then again, they weren't being raised to be the next princess.

From birth, I had been expected to take part in Prince Wesley's selection, and my parents had gone to extreme lengths to make sure that would happen.

They planned the timing of my birth, and had me on a strict diet my whole life. I worked out and modeled and had a 'perfect' body, and I was perfectly taken care of. I had been tutored from a young age, and was advanced in all my schoolwork and could speak fluent English, Spanish, French, Italian, and German. I had perfect manners and etiquette.

In short, I was bred to be the next Princess of Illea.

My parents had taught me to be the picture of a perfect princess, and over the years, I had perfected masking my feelings and behaving the way society wanted me to.

I had learned everything I could possibly know, and had endless facts about the prince to help me win his heart. I had been trained to be exactly what he was looking for in a bride, and I was ready to fulfill my duty.

🌷 _Enchanted🌷_

"Finley! The report is starting!" My dad called from the family room, silently demanding my presence. Sighing, I picked up my velvet bookmark and gently folded it in between the pages of my book, setting it down on my folded bed sheets.

By the time I entered the living room, my whole family was already there, and James Chase, the report host, was taking his place on the stage. I eased myself onto the sofa next to Lila, delicately crossing my ankles as I relaxed into the couch.

Lila and I had always got along much better than Kalli and I had, and we were actually quite close. Whereas Kalli was a spoiled rotten prissy diva, Lila was a sarcastic, clumsy optimist who could make a joke out of anything.

"Good Evening Illéa! As you know, I'm Jem Chase, giving you our weekly Report!" Jem's voice boomed as he adjusted the mic, his deep voice accentuating his broad stature.

Jem cracked some jokes, getting the crowd warmed up as they responded to his every word. After about five minutes of icebreakers, Jem brought the attention to King William, bringing up the topic of our political standing.

The King addressed the issues of the growing unrest between the Brazilian Empire and New Asia, and how as our neighbor, The Brazilian Empire expected us to come to their aid. However, their recent attacks on the borders of Illéa had increasingly become more steady, making us wary of joining them.

Luckily for us, rebel activity had almost completely died down, making us more powerful and one of the strongest nations in the world, only second to New Asia.

Our immense power was the main reason The Brazilian Empire was so desperately vying for our help. They were powerful, but without it, they would slowly be taken down.

After a rundown of our current situation, King William passed to mic to his wife, Queen Genesis, and she reviewed her project for the Eights, and how public schools and homeless shelters and soup kitchens were being built all over the country to help improve their lives.

She finished updating us on her progress, and then Jem took control of the report again.

"Well, now that we've heard from our king and queen, it's time for a special announcement!" Jem proclaimed, pausing dramatically as the crowd fell to a hush. "Please welcome our beloved Prince Wesley!"

The audience erupted in cheers as the cameras zoomed in on the Prince, smiling and waving as he made his way to the center of the stage.

As always, when he entered, I snapped into attention, my eyes zeroing in on him and examining his every move, looking for absolutely any sign that might help me.

"Now, Prince Wesley, I recall you saying that you had an important announcement you needed to bring to our attention," Jem said slyly, exchanging a look with the camera that conveyed, 'I can't wait to hear what he's going to tell us!'

Wesley flashed the crowd a charming smile before jumping into a long speech that sounded carefully rehearsed.

"As many of you know, I've recently reached my 19th birthday, making me eligible for the crown. Obviously, I won't be taking it quite yet, I'll have to wait this old man out," he joked, gesturing to the king and inciting a burst of laughter from the crowd and a playful glare from his dad.

"But that does mean one other thing." He paused dramatically for effect, even though everyone knew what he was about to say.

"I will be continuing a tradition that has run in the family for years. In fact, it recently reached it's 100th anniversary," Wesley commented, drawing his words out and increasing the suspense. "In exactly 3 weeks, 35 girls will be joining me in Angeles for the Selection!"

The crowd erupted into cheers, throwing things like flowers, pennies, hats, and even hair onto the stage.

Wesley waited for the riot to calm down before continuing.

"Every eligible girl from ages 16-20 will be receiving a letter within the next two days, and if you so chose, you can fill it out and bring it to the nearest postal center, where pictures will be taken of all the girls and sent to Angeles to be sorted. In 2 weeks, we will announce Illéa's Selected!"

The crowd went wild, screaming and groping at the stage to get a view of the prince. He gave an easy smile to the camera before addressing Jem.

"Well, as much as I'd love to stay and chat, I'm sure Jem here has several other announcements that will be brought to your attention," the audience groaned good naturedly and Wesley pouted, endearing the crowd before rallying them together again.

"So, goodnight Illéa! I leave you in good hands!" Prince Wesley handed Jem the mic and blew kisses to the crowd as he exited the stage.

Jem took control, bringing up the finer points of the selection and then summarizing the night, eventually closing out and exiting the report himself.

"Can I enter the selection?" Kalli's whiny voice broke the silence, shifting my attention from the now black TV to Lila, who was glaring at Kalli. I bit back a grin and turned away from them as my parents patiently explained that she was too young, and could not bribe her way in.

I excused myself, heading toward my room and ignoring the expectant stares lingering on me as I left. I was completely lost in thought and didn't even noticed when Lila popped up next to me.

"I think I'm going to enter," she said decidedly, smacking her gum. I would have snorted if that had been even slightly appropriate. Instead I settled for a smile.

"Why? You hate that kind of stuff," I pointed out.

"Why not? Besides, everyone knows that you'll be selected anyway, so I don't really even have a chance," she drawled, and I shoved her playfully.

"That's not true," I complained, grateful that my parents didn't hear the whine in my voice.

"Oh it is and you know it. You're the most gorgeous girl in all of Angeles, you look and act like a princess, you're a bloody genius, and even if you weren't, mom and dad would probably pay to get you selected," she teased, and though all her points were valid, I still didn't like it.

I had never really liked attention, and was kind of nervous for the whole idea of the selection. Though Lila insisted that our parents would pull strings to get me selected, I didn't believe they actually had that much power, and I wasn't sure if looks and talent were enough to get me in the selection.

"I don't know, Lila. There are a ton of beautiful, talented girls in Angeles, including you. I have just as good of a chance as any of them. What if I don't get selected? What would mom and dad do?" I shuddered just thinking about it, but Lila wasn't one for sympathy.

"You suck it up, girl. Just have a little faith, trust, and pixie dust," she teased, referring to one of my favorite movies and childish obsession.

"Don't forget about wishing on stars," I pointed out, teasing her right back.

"Oh, definitely. You can't forget that one," she added seriously. We were both laughing as we wished each other good night and retreated into our rooms, but I couldn't stop the doubt that lingered in the back of my mind.

As much as I wished it, I couldn't get into this with faith, trust, and pixie dust.

* * *

 **Prince Wesley Pierce**

"You didn't even mention that it's my birthday too!" Laurel, my twin sister, shoved me playfully after the report was shut down.

"Well, it's obvious that it's because you're just not as important," I feigned a sigh, pretending to check my fingernails and Laurel smacked me on the shoulder.

"Whatever was that for?" I exclaimed dramatically, holding my wounded shoulder. Laurel rolled her eyes, but a smile was playing on her lips.

"You know, I love you Wes, but you're a big pain in the a-"

She was interrupted from her dirty language by a pair of muscular arms that grabbed her waist and spun her around.

"Tristan!" She shrieked in surprise, falling as he let her go. She ended up tripping them both, and they landed in a mess of laughter on the ground.

"Hello, lil Laurel," Tristan greeted her with her pet named, and I laughed.

Tristan was Laurel's best friend, and had been for as long as I could remember. His mom had been a part of our dad's selection, and she and my mom were really close, so he's been living with us his whole life, staying even after his mother died.

"What are you doing here? I thought you weren't getting back till tomorrow," Laurel asked with a confused expression as Tristan helped her up.

"No, 'How are you? I've missed you,' huh?" Tristan complained, giving me an exasperated look. I returned it and mouthed 'Women,' with an overly dramatic sigh, and Laurel glared at me, but was too busy with her best friend to be too concerned.

"How are you? I've missed you," she said, giving Tristan a peck on the cheek. "You happy now?"

"Very." Tristan smirked, continued to tell Laurel about his most recent adventures in New India. He and Kieran, my younger brother, had both loved traveling, and Kieran often tagged along with him on his many explorations.

I wandered away, my energy leaving me as the adrenaline from being on stage wore off. The preparations for the selection had begun a week ago, and everything was a mess.

I was avoiding my parents, because they were sure to lecture me about going off of script during the report, and no running off and last minute flings before the selection started, and I wasn't really in the mood for that.

Laurel was the only person I would really want to talk to, but she was busy with Tristan, so that wasn't an option.

Kieran had probably already run off to tell Tessa about every waking moment in New India, and even being 14, she would still beg for him to play with her.

Spencer was probably off reading or doing something education, and that didn't sound like any fun. My only other option was Jem.

Jem had been my closest friend since I was 10, and constantly put up with my behavior, and besides Laurel, he was the one I trusted the most.

"Wesley!" Jem found me before I had the chance, and he clapped me on the back.

"Jem, I'm struggling with my deep dark turmoil and emotional problems," I told him seriously, and he immediately sobered up looked me in the eye.

"Now, Wes, we don't have time for angst ridden teenagers causing trouble and letting out the deep dark blackness of their souls," he told me with a look in his eye. I nodded obediently, but neither of us could keep up the charade for much longer and doubled over laughing.

"You have too many girls in your life," Jem informed me with a smirk after we both got control of ourselves.

"Tell me about it," I rolled my eyes. "Lil Laurel was harping on me for not mentioning that it was her birthday too. I mean, how am I supposed to remember that?"

"Well, you are twins," he reminded me.

"That's no excuse!" Jem and I continued bickering until we reached my room, where I reluctantly left him to get ready for bed.

While I acted like it wasn't a big deal, secretly, I was terrified for the selection. I mean, normally I'd be thrilled to have 35 gorgeous girls living with me, but this was different.

I was actually expected to fall in love with one of them, and I would see them everyday, which meant I couldn't do stupid things and not have to worry about it because I would probably never have to face them again.

This was more than just a silly fling. This was real life. And no wishing upon a star was going to fix it for me.

* * *

 **So, there it is! I'm going to give all the characters mentioned so far and their face claims, just so y'all can get a better idea of them, but I will have descriptions of all the royal family on my profile, so check that out.  
**

 **Royal Family:**

King William Pierce(40) - Orlando Bloom

Queen Genesis Pierce(38) - Blake Lively

Crown Prince Wesley Pierce(19) - Luke Bilyk

Princess Laurel Pierce(19) - Nina Dobrev

Prince Kieran Pierce(17) - Peyton Meyer

Princess Tessa Pierce(14) - Rowan Blanchard

Princess Spencer Pierce(11) - Eloise Lushina

 **Others:**

James 'Jem' Chase - Shemar Moore

Tristan Cooper - Ian Somerhalder

Finley West - Miranda Kerr

 **Alright! My profile will also have a lot more background and character information, so if you plan on submitting a character, that would be very helpful to read.  
**

 **For applications: I'll be accepting 20 total, with 15 of my own throwaways. I'm planning on having 5-10 mains, and the rest supporting, but if your character is wonderful, I'll let them be a main, no matter how many I already have.**

 **My 15 throwaways will be assigned random provinces, but I'll be more than happy to change them if your character needs them.**

 **Finley is my own character, and she will be a main, but solely because she has a plot line of her own. She has no more chance of marrying the prince than anyone else, so don't let her being in the competition deter you from submitting.**

 **My pinterest(Alexia Roosenhaan) has tons of helpful information about this, so please check it out! I want to make this interactive, so having a pinterest board for your character or even being on pinterest would be very helpful, but it's not required.  
**

 **okay, I think I have everything covered so far, now onto the rules:**

1\. No carbon copies of America, Eadlyn, or Finley, and no Mary Sues.

2\. You are allowed a max of 2 girls, and they are allowed to know each other.

3\. Give me a variety! I like sweet girls, but not everyone is shy and sweet and nice! Give me sassy, mean, funny, bubbly, etc. Also, I want different appearances! All kinds of hair colors, ethnicities, skin tones, etc. Make your character unique!

4\. Be creative! Give me unique and interesting backgrounds and different characters! The more interesting and creative the character, the better chance they have of becoming a main!

5\. I will only be accepting through PM. I'm sorry guests, but I need to be able to talk to you about your character.

6\. When you send applications, please title them like this: "First and Last Name, Age, Caste, Occupation, Province" - for example: "Finley West, 17, Two, Model, Angeles"

7\. DETAIL! I cannot stress enough how important detail is. The application is incredibly long, and I'm sorry if it overwhelms you, but I want to know your characters inside and out so I can portray them well. The more detailed they are, the more likely they will become a main.

8\. This is NOT a first come first served! I will only be accepting girls who I think fit well with the plot and that I can write easily **.**

9\. I want this to be interactive, so if you have a pinterest, please let me know and I'll add you to the board! I want everyone to be pinning things like dresses and face claims and just anything selection-y.

10\. I love interesting, uncommon names(as you can see with Genesis and Finley), so go ahead and find unique names!

 **I think that's it for the rules, sorry if it's overwhelming! I have lots of links and more information in my profile, so seriously, check it out! The form is also on my profile, for those of you who want to submit.  
**

 **love y'all! please review and submit! I love feedback!  
**

 **One last thing: HUGE shoutout to morethanjustastory for helping me out with starting this! she's the best ever, love ya❤️**

 **~lexi**


	2. Ch2 - Try, Try Again

_**Enchanted Ch2 - Try, Try Again**_

Here's the second chapter! I'm not introducing any selected girls yet, considering I only have two so far(other than Finley) but the next chapter will introduce the first girl, and possibly the second, depending on how many applications I receive. anyway, hope y'all like it, and please review!

* * *

 **Finley West**

I slammed my pencil down against the desk in frustration, resting my elbows on my paper as I rubbed my forehead.

I had been attempting AP Chemistry all afternoon, but had only completed one page of the homework.

Looking at the mounting pile of books and sheets that I had yet to finished, I moaned.

While I loved reading and enjoying learning, the insurmountable heap of homework that came with it was less than pleasant.

Ever since the selection was announced, my mom had pressured me into doubling my academic progress.

In the past week, I had done the amount of work I would normally complete in a month, and I was exhausted.

"Finley!" My door was thrown open with a squeal, giving me a temporary break from the overload of homework. "Mom said we can sign up for the selection together!" Lila was waving around two pristine white envelopes with the royal seal on them, and she practically leaped over the stack of papers and binders that were settled on the floor.

"Already? Does she realize how much more work I still have?" I was a little incredulous, considering that my mom pressured me to speed up my schoolwork so I could have a better application for the selection.

"She said you probably had more education than most of the girls in Illéa," Lila scanned my room, seeming a little deflated by the sheer amount of books. "She did say to try and finish your unit in Advanced Molecular Biology, whatever the heck that is." She began shuffling through my papers, apparently forgetting that she was a grade below me and therefore no help.

"I can't figure this out, Lila. I've been working on it all afternoon, and I keep coming up with the wrong formula." At this point, I felt like crying because of the stress.

"Fin, it's okay," she soothed me, but it wasn't much reassurance. "What do you need help with?"

Though I appreciated Lila trying to help me sort through my homework, it was hopeless. She kept encouraging me with the phrase, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again," but it took more than a couple tries to get it right.

"We did it! Now you're completely done and we can fill out our selection forms!" I refrained from pointing out that we had only finished one unit of chemistry, not all my schoolwork, but it was still a relief to be done.

Lila tore her form open, rapidly scribbling answers down, but I took my time.

"Name. Does that include middle name?" I wondered aloud as I skimmed the questions.

"Yep!" Lila was muttering under her breath as she worked, and I followed her example.

"Name: Finley Violet West... Age: 17..." I continued to write that I had curly, light brown hair that fell to my mid bicep, tan skin, and sea blue eyes.

"What languages do I speak?" At this point, we were both just asking rhetorical questions, and I wrote the answer down before Lila has a chance to respond. "Fluent English, Spanish, and French... a good amount of German... and some Italian." Even I was overwhelmed by how much I knew, and felt that whoever sorted through the forms would probably think I was lying.

"Does likes include charity?" I had already written down that I enjoyed reading, writing, painting, swimming, surfing, and multiple other things that Prince Wesley enjoyed, but my mom mentioned that it would look good if I could fit that I donated lots of my savings to charity somewhere on there.

"Sure. Finley, at this point, it won't even matter if you said you hated charity, you'd get picked anyway," Lila complained, comparing her sparse form to my detailed one.

"You could always sign up for Prince Kieran's selection," I offered, but I was really too focused on my form to pay attention to our conversation.

After we had finished perfecting our forms, Lila moved onto appearances. She insisted I use my deft hands to work magic in our hair, but she did the makeup, as she was much more talented in that area.

Lila also chose our outfits, much to my appreciation. Due to the warm weather, we both ended up in skirts, but while hers was a tight, black, pencil skirt, I was fitted into a light, flowery skirt, paired with a white blouse and cute light jean jacket, which was tied in a knot at my waist.

When we were finished, Lila observed her work, nodding in satisfaction as she dragged me out the door.

"Picture time!"

While we left the house with a happy frame of mind, my attitude dropped a bit when the line to the post office streamed halfway through the town and was moving at a snails pace.

Lila and I waited in line for what had to be close to an hour before we finally reached the front office.

"Next," the cameraman drawled, and I shoved Lila forward. I couldn't help but admire her as she gave a brilliant smile for her picture, hopped off the chair, and skipped back over to me.

My photo, however, wasn't so easy. The photographers seemed to have some uncanny knowing of my family, and insisted that I retake the photo 6 different times, adjusting my hair and posture for each one.

When they finally snapped the perfect picture, I was free to go, and Lila and I made our way painstakingly slow as the line condensed.

By the time we finally got home, the sun had set, leaving the house barely visible only by the faint glimmering of the stars.

Lila offered to go inside with me, but I opted out, deciding to spend a little time outside instead.

When I was younger, I loved being outside at night. Hearing the crickets chirp, the faint rustle of leaves from the wind, the shimmering stars, and the faint glow of the royal castle in the distance.

Now that I was older, I hadn't had the opportunity quite as much, and I hadn't been able to appreciate it.

Sinking down onto the bench on the front porch, I rested my chin in my hands, a very unladylike posture, but no one was here to see me.

Gazing at the distant outline of the castle, I wondered what it would be like to live there. Being on the beach everyday, living a life of luxury and ease... I supposed I already lived like that, but I wasn't really in a position to enjoy it. I spent most of my time indoors, only being permitted out to get my tan, because that was what my parents believed spending my time appropriately was.

If I was lucky, I would be at the palace in the next two weeks. All my hard work and vigorous studying would pay off, and I would actually have a chance to prove myself. Getting into the selection was the key to a happy life.

Of course, I would also have to win. The only way to help my parents was to win. But I wasn't too worried about that.

I had met Prince Wesley before, several times, and after spending my life observing him and shaping myself to be his dream girl, I was pretty confident.

Sighing, I stood up, ending my fantasy of living out a simple life in the palace, and headed inside. Maybe one day I could live without the pressure of my parents on my shoulders, but today was not that day.

* * *

 **Princess Laurel**

Life in the palace was not the same as it was one week ago. Servants were scurrying back and forth, rushing to polish off girl's rooms, caterers were being hired, events were being planned, maids were rapidly threading dresses that needed to be made, and everything was hectic.

And, of course, Wesley was in the middle of it.

Because it was his selection, he had to be in the center of attention, and he seemed to be enjoying it. He was currently being interviewed about his preferences, doubtless for all the woman of Illéa to takes notes and swoon over, and he was being a less than helpful twin brother.

As much as I loved Wesley, he could be a royal pain in the butt.

"Princess Laurel?" I turned to face Sabrina, my head maid, who was playing with her tendrils of curls as she stood nearly a foot shorter than me at 4'9".

"Yes Sabrina?"

"Your presence is requested in the theater by his majesty," she told me with a graceful curtsy, and I almost laughed. Sabrina was new, and had recently moved from France to take the position as my head maid because Charity, my previous maid, had left on maternity leave.

Sabrina was, as you could say, a piece of work. She had an attitude that said 'I'm better than you', and she obviously thought she deserved to be treated like royalty. She acted like a perfect little princess around me and my siblings, but my other maids told me what a handful she was.

I had attempted to get her replaced, but seeing as that we were low on staff already, it was an unlikely option.

However, Sabrina seemed determined to be selected, and wasn't going to stop brown nosing me until she got what she wanted.

"Of course. Thank you Sabrina." I turned to walk in the direction of the throne room and had just turned the corner when I heard a high giggle that obviously came from Sabrina.

Curious and little reproachful, I peeked around the corner. I had never been very lady like anyway, and no one would no I was spying, so what was the harm?

I was quickly proven wrong when the boy Sabrina was flirting with was Tristan.

"I've always wanted to travel! Have you been to New Bejing?" Sabrina asked in her high, fake voice, and a course of anger shot through me.

She was flirting with my best friend!

"Yes, but I have to admit, I prefer New India. The food is much better," Tristan said matter-a-factly, but Sabrina giggled as if he had told a hilarious joke.

"I love Indian food! We should get together sometime, I know this great restaurant-" By this point, I'd had enough, and as politely as I could, I cleared my throat and brought the attention to myself.

"Princess Laurel!" The color temporarily left Sabrina's face, and she scurried for an explanation. "I was just, um, well, I ran into Tristan-" she looked to Tristan, obviously hoping he would help her out, but he just looked amused. "Well I- I'm needed in the laundry room." And with that, she darted off, and I felt a hint of satisfaction.

"You scared her away," Tristan complained, and I punched him in the arm.

"She was flirting with you!" I explained in protest, upset that he was taking this so lightly.

"Boys flirt with you all the time, and I don't swoop in and scare them away," he whined, and I looked at him with mock horror.

"Oh yeah? What about the time when Lord Caleb complimented me on my outfit and you told him he'd be charged with treason? Or when Prince Kristoff almost kissed me and you threatened him with beheading and punched him in the nose? Or when-"

"Okay, I get your point," Tristan conceded, and I smirked in triumph.

"As much as I would love to stay and chat, I was supposed to meet the king several minutes ago, and we both know he wouldn't be pleased if I was late," I reminded him reluctantly.

"Oh no, we wouldn't want that," he said seriously.

I nudged him playfully before taking off to see my dad. It wasn't very often that he wanted to talk with me, so I didn't plan to waste it.

🌷 _Enchanted🌷_

Turns out, the meeting with my dad was just that: a meeting. I was there, along with 20 other advisors and all my siblings, discluding Wesley.

"So, how'd it go, lil Laurel?" Tristan seemingly appeared out of nowhere, which wasn't too unusual for him.

"You know, the usual. Business meetings. Talking about politics, rebels, the selection," I drawled, bored just talking about it. The meeting had taken almost an hour, and it almost bored me to sleep.

"Sucks for you," he teased.

Instead of berating him, I started meandering through the castle, not entirely sure where I was going. It was already late at night, and I was so tired I could hardly work up the effort to speak, let alone think about where I was going.

"Hey, Laurel," Tristan jogged to catch up to me, grabbing me by the elbow. "What's wrong?" Concern was evident in his voice, and I sighed. I couldn't get a thing past him.

"Just tired." It was a fruitless effort, and he saw right through it.

"Lil girl, you can tell me," Tristan said gently, pushing a hair out of my face.

I looked up helplessly at him, and remember how much he had done for me. Tristan had been my best friend for as long as I could remember, and he knew me better than anyone, not counting my jerk of a twin. It wasn't as much that I was hiding something from him as it was that I was honestly to tired to form coherent sentences.

So, instead, I collapsed into his arms and buried my face in the crook of his neck.

Being the good friend he was, Tristan didn't question it and instead scooped me up in his arms and began the journey back to my room.

I remembered breathing in the scent of his cologne, and the warm arms of my bed welcoming me into the comfort of sleep. As much as he annoyed the heck out of me, Tristan wasn't someone I could take for granted.

* * *

 **Sorry this update took so long! So much homework... aghh. anyway, here it is! chapter 2! I posted Finley's outfit for this chapter on the pinterest board for enchanted, so check that out! okay, now for the shoutouts:**

 **thanks so much to all my awesome reviews:** morethajustastory, UltimateMaxmericaShipper, drakel19088, .butterflies, **and** 3lovelies3 **! also a shoutout to** morethanjustastory **and** jess120 **for submitting awesome characters! but so far, those are the only two I've received... please submit guys! I have several provinces reserved, but the sooner you get your character into me, the sooner I can plan out their story line and how I'm going to right them!**

 **anyway, please review and submit! happy creating!**

 **~lexi**


	3. Ch3 - Win or Lose

**_Enchanted Ch3 - Win or Lose_  
**

hey y'all! sorry for the wait between the updates, but I promise I'm still here! this chapter is shorter, and focuses mostly on the royal family, but the next chapter will introduce our first girl(s)! thanks for all your awesome reviews and support, and to yall who submitted such awesome characters! I can't wait to write them! thanks for reading, I love y'all!

* * *

 **Prince Kieran**

"Kieran!" A small voice yelped as a pair of arms crashed around me from behind.

"Tessie!" I hugged her small frame, embracing her tightly after the two days I had been away.

Every since the selection was announced a week ago, the palace had been hectic, and Tristan took it as an opportunity to get out and do some more traveling. Naturally, I came with him.

Therefore, in the past week, we had already been to Dakota, Fennley, and most recently, Tammins, to explore and fulfill our goal of traveling to all the provinces.

"How was it? Was it cold in Tammins? Did you ski? Was there snow? Was it beautiful? How were the mountains? Can I come with you next time?" I was prepared for Tessa's pestering and barage of questions, so I answered in rapid succession.

"It was great, a little too short, but I missed you. Tammins was pretty warm, considering it's the middle of summer, so there was no snow and I didn't ski," I teased her about her lack of knowledge, causing her to scowl.

"Which I would know if you actually brought me with you," she nagged, and I ruffled her hair.

"Tess, you know I'd bring you if I could, but it's dad's choice," I reminded her. It was true enough.

Even though Tessa was only two and a half years younger than me, I tended to treat her as if she was younger. With her naivety and childlike innocence, my natural instincts were to protect her from the world, even if it was her biggest wish to see it.

I knew that she's come with me eventually, but for now, my father insisted that it wasn't safe, and I agreed with him.

"It was incredibly beautiful though, so I took lots of pictures for you," I informed her, causing her to immediately grab at the bag by my side and lunge for the camera.

"Tessa? Kieran?" A new voice interrupted our reunion, and we both spun to see Spencer, all dressed up with hands on her hips, staring us down. It was probably pathetic that an 11 year old could scare us, but we both cowered under her pointed look.

"Hey Spence, I haven't seen you yet," I said easily, walking forward to pull her into a hug. She returned it, relaxing a bit, but still looking annoyed at the racket we had caused.

"How was your trip? I've always wanted to go to Tammins, so I hope you took pictures," Spencer told me, her voice lightening.

"Definitely. I'll show them to you later." Spencer didn't share my love of traveling and insane urge to explore everything I could, but she was very curious, and she got her hands on any new piece of information she could.

"Anyway, mom arranged for a family game of spoons in her room, and wanted me to ask if you'd like to join."

It was a family tradition to play a game after Tristan and I returned from our retreats, and spoons was one of our favorites. It was an old game that was most often played in the 20th century, before Illéa was founded, but we enjoyed it nonetheless.

"Of course!" Tessa was almost jumping up and down, and she was already tugging at my hand and pulling me in the direction of my parent's room.

After navigating the many twisted walls, corridors, and staircases, Tessa and I finally barged our way into the master bedroom of the palace, which far exceeded every other room. Even after spending many days and nights in it, their room never ceased to amaze me.

With a raised bed and a fire underneath it, a TV raised on glass above it, and a cozy, modern living room attached, the room was perfection. It only got better with the glass wall overlooking Angeles, a huge patio, and a modern desk built in to a wall.

After joining the party, we realized that we were the last ones there.

Miraculously, Spencer had arrived before us, and she wasn't even out of breath, a stark contrast to Tessa's flushed face and my shortage of breath.

My father wasn't joining us, which wasn't much of a surprise, but instead, Jem and Tristan were already seated, with Jem and Wesley joking around and Tristan sitting a little too close to Laurel, whispering to her in hushed tones.

The atmosphere was relaxed, and Tessa and I easily joined them.

Tristan rubbed his hands in anticipation as my mom dealed the cards, an eager look on his face.

"I'm going to win this time," he proclaimed dramatically. "And you-" he pointed an accusatory finger at Spencer, "can't do anything to stop me," he declared, but Spencer only raised an eyebrow, seemingly unfazed by his announcement.

"All right, does everyone have 4 cards?" My mom surveyed the room as everyone nodded. "Then let the game commence!" She announced giddily, taking a fifth card for herself and examining it. After a moment, she took one from her deck and passed it to Jem, who was sitting right next to her.

After Jem's turn, Wesley took a card, and stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Ahhh, a wonderful assortment of cards," he noted in a mystical voice, causing Laurel to snort. He glared at her, but before the two could get in a cat fight, Jem intervened.

"Wesley, I know you have a completely aggravating sister," he began, causing Laurel to puff her chest in pride, and Wesley nodded viciously. "But please consider that she rest of us want to play too." Wesley pouted, but ended up passing a card to Laurel.

After the first round, no one had 4 similar cards, but Wesley was quick to show flaunt his when he got them.

"A spoon! A spoon!" He cried, causing a war zone as a fight broke out over the lack of spoons. Tristan was the second to grab one, right after Spencer, and he showed it off proudly. I immediately lunged for a spoon, but came up short.

"Hey," I complained as my mom darted in front of me, grasping the last polished spoon. The game continued on for almost half an hour before we were close to a winner. Wesley had no letters, and neither did Spencer, and Tristan was right behind them with only an S. My mom had an Spo, and so did Laurel, but Tessa and Jem were one in front of them with only and Sp. And then there was me, Spoo.

"I will win!" Declared Wesley triumphantly, earning a wrathful glare from Tristan.

"I'll prove you wrong," Tristan challenged, and the two boys sat across from each other with steady glares. When I finally had four matching cards, I gasped, a major giveaway, and another fight broke out.

Bodies flung across the table, spoons were bent, seats were tipped upside down, and a piece of gum ended up falling out the window.

Spencer was the only one who emerged victorious, with a spoon gleaming in her hand. Tristan stood up after her, brandishing his spoon proudly in the air, confident about his win. And somehow, at the bottom of the pile, I was the only one without a spoon.

"How did that happen?" I cried indignantly, but Wesley only grinned.

"Sorry bro, but it looks like your out," he patted my back sympathetically, but I only glared.

"It's not fair, Wes. You always win and get what I want," I complained, knowing that I sounded like a whiny 5 year old, but that was the fun of spoons. We could act like children and not be punished.

"It's just a fact of life, brother. I win at everything." Wesley smirked at me, goading me to do something. I took the bait.

"Cheater," I muttered under my breath, but it only incited another riot.

Before I knew it, Wesley was on my back, riding me around like a horse, and Tessa was running around us yelling something about 2 headed unicorns.

With a cry, I headed for the door leading to the balcony, prepared to bring him down. At the last second, I stopped my charge, flinging him off my back and rolling onto the concrete, and I almost succeeded in locking him out, but ending up tripping and sprawled out across the floor.

It was that moment that my dad entered the room. Everyone froze, and Tristan dropped the spoon that was poised above Spencer's head, who was cowering beneath him.

"What's going on in here?" Looking around, he noticed the state of the room, and we all unfroze and scrambled for an explanation.

"Well, sir, we were playing spoons," Wesley said as he stood up and brushed off his pants, walking in from the balcony.

"I didn't realize spoons got so..." My dad looked around for the proper word. "Violent," he ended with raised eyebrows, looking toward the bent spoons and Tristan's raised hand over Spencer.

"It was a very competitive game of spoons, sir," Spencer amended, much to all of our appreciation. Our father seemed to favor Spencer, probably since she was the only one who behaved properly all the time.

"Please, Will, don't be hard on them, it was my idea. You should join us," my mom added brightly. My father softened as he looked at her, and I wilted in relief. As long as my mom was on our side, we were safe.

"I'm sorry Genesis, I'm busy now and I can't. However, if you wish to continue your game, you may, as long as you take it elsewhere." We began to shift cushions and pick up cards and spoons, busying ourselves to avoid our father's eyes.

Even though I was relieved he wasn't angry, I still wished my dad would play with us.

The rare times when my mom goaded him into spending time with the family, it was so much fun, and I constantly craved the next.

We finished our game of spoons in Wesley's room, mostly because it was the closest to our parents. Spencer ended up winning again, and though no one was surprised, Tristan through quite a fit.

At the end of the day, we were all friends, because win or lose, we're family.

* * *

 **sorry, this chapter wasn't very intriguing or considerably long, but it was more of a filler chapter. sorry about the cheesy ending, but I was actually really enjoying writing about their game of spoons, and I didn't know how to wrap it up.**

 **I'm still waiting for several girls, but I think I'm going to start the selection before I receive all the applications.**

 **hopefully, you have a better idea of the royal family and their relationships after this chapter, and I think the next one will introduce the first main character(s) and have another view of the royal family. I really want y'all to get a great idea of all their personalities, so I'll be doing one of their povs until I feel like I've portrayed them well enough. I'm also going to be introducing several girls during the selection so it can get started faster.**

 **please review! I love any kind of feedback, so if y'all have ideas of how I could write better, please tell me! I also still need lots of girls, so submit! thanks to my lovely reviewers** Berrybush123, morethanjustastory, .butterflies, livlaughlove **(2)** , **and** **! I love reading y'alls reviews, it means so much to me, so please review! btw: my sister was accidentally logged onto my account and reviewed, so that was her:)**

 **love y'all!**

 **~lexi**


	4. AN

**hey guys! I know it's been forever, and I really hate to do this, but I decided I couldn't procrastinate anymore. I'm putting Enchanted on Hiatus, but I promise I'll come back to it! I love the story and I have lots of plans for it, and I love all your characters! but my heart isn't really in it right now, so I feel like I won't be able to write it as well as I could.**

 **on another note, I had the inspiration to write another fanfic! it's a selection syoc, and I've already pre-planned most of it, and I just recently posted it! it's called The Puppet Master, and I'm planning on updating it pretty steadily. I'm super pumped for itxD I'd love it if y'all checked that out(::**

 **again, I'm really sorry for putting this on Hiatus, but I decided it wasn't fair to you guys to continue it. I love y'all so much and appreciate all the support!**

 **~lexi  
**


End file.
